Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association (HEPCA) said on Monday it has collected 350 kilograms of waste that had become stuck in Red Sea coral reefs.
Around 120 Egyptian and foreign scuba divers took part in the clean-up operation, with boats transporting them to the reefs.
Their work involved collecting garbage from the coral reefs of the Red Sea islands of Om Qomo’r, Shaab al-Erq, al-Fanoos and Fanadir.
The participants collected huge amounts of plastic waste, wooden debris and other waste dropped from diving boats, said HEPCA.
Volunteer scub divers collect garbage from a coral reef
Amr Ali, head of the environmental group, said the campaign is one of many aimed at cleaning Egypt's islands, coasts, diving areas, coral reef areas and mangrove forests.
Ali called on owners of diving centers and boats to warn tourists not to throw any waste into the sea and report any areas with plastic waste, since it poses a danger to coral reefs.
Another campaign is scheduled to be organized at different place soon.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-YoumEgypt
